"I met her on November 15th in Kent County at a humane society shelter. She had been picked up as a stray just four days earlier. She instantly captured my heart. Her cage card read: "Pug female, 10 years old, severe allergy". I entered her kennel and sat on the floor with her. She had such a vibrant personality -- she climbed into my lap and was excited with joy from the attention. I looked her over and decided that despite her severe skin allergy, she would make a wonderful pet. She had a lot of life left in her. Her eyes were clear and bright, her teeth immaculately clean. She had obviously been taken care of for most of her life. But her skin allergy was severe. Her hair coat resembled that of an S.O.S. scrub pad; very dry and brittle. I left her behind in her kennel determined to rescue her somehow. As I promised her that I would be back for her, she cried as I walked out of her sight.
She had not yet been placed for adoption. The staff indicated she had to be temperment tested and examined by the shelter's vet. How ludicrous to think that any pug would fail a temperment test. But protocols must be followed. I didn't want to leave her there without attempting to claim her. So I was told to call back on Monday to inquire about her. I elicited the help of Linda Chamberlain -- I knew this pug needed MMPC. She would get the medical care she needed and then a permanent retirement home she most deserved. However, the events that soon followed sealed her fate. The shelter refused to work with a "rescue" under any circumstances. They would release no further information on this pug, and eventually denied having a pug at their shelter. My fiance called to inquire about adopting the pug that he had heard about, but they denied ever recently having one.
I revisited the shelter on the following Thursday. I anxiously sought her out, but decided not to inquire about her with staff. I found an unsuspecting kennel volunteer and inquired about the "stray female pug". Apparently, she had to be "put down" because they found blood in her stool (but did not test her for parvo). They killed her! Despite all the efforts that were made to express interest in rescuing her, they still killed her.
I could go on and on about how enraged I am at how this "humane" shelter decided this pug's fate. But it will not bring her back. Although we could not save her, I will always remember her. Those brief moments that I held her in my arms and played with her, have turned into a lifelong memory that I will cherish always. I named her "Ally" (because of her allergies)."
- Tricia S.
Tricia emailed me this request to place a memorial page for Stray Pug P15. We do not have enough web space to set up a memorial page for every Pug that gets put to sleep in shelters across our state each year, but this story serves as a lesson to us all. Not all "humane" societies are humane. They do not always find a home for that precious puggie that is left with them, or found by them. Often rescues offer help to shelters in finding suitable homes for hard-to place animals - either by referring applicants to them, or by taking the animal into their rescue. Sadly, many shelters refuse the help offered them. They would rather euthanize them than relinquish the animals to another group to do what they could not. If you have a Pug that you can no longer keep, please do not "turn him loose" on a back road to find his/her home, or take them to the local shelter thinking all will work out. Often it does not. Our rescue is here to help the Pugs - we are not here to pass judgement on those who relinquish their pets to us. We first offer to help in any way we can to keep you and your friend together. If that cannot be done, we are here to help find your friend a new home. We do not euthanize Pugs unless they simply have no quality of life due to serious illness or injury.
